Best milk chocolate brands for 2020

Concentrated joy, instant happiness - what is it if not a bar of delicate milk chocolate with a cup of hot coffee or tea?

How nice it is sometimes to sit under your favorite TV series, wrapped up from head to toe in a soft blanket, and seize a movie drama with a sweet treat. Or sit in the kitchen with your friends until morning, discussing everything in the world, while the kettle boils for the tenth time.

Choosing a bar of unknown brand of chocolate, we are looking for more than just a tasty and sweet confection, we are looking for a drop of magic.

The editors of the site "bestx.htgetrid.com/en/" will help you not to get lost and not be disappointed in the sea of ​​confectionery brands. We have written detailed instructions on how to choose high-quality chocolate, as well as compiled a list of the best domestic and foreign manufacturers.

Types of chocolate

According to the interstate standard GOST 31721-2012, the delicacy is of the following types.

White	It is made from cocoa butter, sweetener, milk powder. The minimum amount of cocoa butter is 20%, milk powder is 14%
Lactic	It is made from any cocoa products, as well as a sweetener, milk or its analogues. The minimum mass of cocoa products is 35%, dry milk - 12%
Chocolate	Main components: cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, as well as honey, sugar or any other sweetener. The mass of cocoa products - from 35%, the amount of cocoa butter - at least 18%
Unsweetened	Produced without sugar or other sweeteners, the amount of cocoa butter is from 50% to 58%
Bitter	A mixture of cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and icing sugar. Mass of cocoa products - not less than 55%, the amount of cocoa butter - at least 33%
Dark	Key ingredients: cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, sugar or honey. The mass of cocoa products - from 40%, the amount of cocoa butter - at least 20%

Also, any chocolate (white, dark) can be porous in structure.

Chocolate comes with additives, without them, with a filling.

Supplements are:

• large - whole or crushed nuts, grains, various berries, fruits, coconut flakes, pieces of cookies, waffle chips and the like.
• finely ground - these are the ground ingredients from the previous paragraph.

Filled chocolate is a product not less than a third of chocolate and not more than two-thirds of a filling.

Criterias of choice

Let's figure out what to look for when choosing such an ordinary thing as a chocolate bar.

Package design

The packaging protects the product from external negative environmental influences. Protects from moisture, strong odors, mechanical damage.

Pay attention to the quality of the packaging, its integrity.

If the packaging is made of paper or cardboard, make sure there is a second protective foil layer inside. To do this, gently touch the treat. A characteristic crunch will be heard. The foil perfectly isolates the product from pungent odors, but it often breaks when opened.

No less reliable protection is plastic film packaging.

Composition

A quality product does not contain preservatives, flavors, colorants or flavor enhancers.

A good product usually contains liquor and cocoa butter. But often manufacturers save money and replace the cocoa mass with cocoa powder, which is much cheaper. In addition, such a substitution worsens the taste characteristics of the product and reduces its usefulness.

Another way to save money is to replace expensive cocoa butter with more affordable palm or coconut butter.

Shelf life

The standard period according to GOST is 12-18 months. But various additives, in particular, dried fruits, waffles, creams, significantly reduce the lifetime of a chocolate bar.

Now let's print out the chocolate bar and analyze the rest of the characteristics.

Appearance

Examine the front surface carefully. It can be either flat or with patterns - the manufacturer's brand, waves, geometric shapes.

The surface of the sweetness should be shiny, not matte.

In treats with large additives, as well as in porous varieties, an uneven surface is acceptable.

Graying products are considered defective. Whitish stains indicate either a violation of production technology, or a violation of storage conditions.

Structure

Homogeneous, excluding porous chocolate. If you purchased a product with small or large additives, then they should be evenly distributed throughout the tile, and not crowded together in one corner.

Smell and taste

The sweetness should not have foreign odors or tastes. Only those indicated on the packaging. If you find something extraneous during the tasting, this may indicate two things:

• either the manufacturer produces low-quality products;
• or everything is in order with the product, but storage conditions were violated during transportation or already in the store.

Selection errors

• Saving. Unfortunately, quality chocolate cannot be cheap. Even dairy, which contains a minimum amount of cocoa products. Therefore, when buying an inexpensive sweet, carefully read its composition.
• GOST or TU? When choosing between a sweetness made according to GOST and a similar sweet, but made according to TU, give preference to the first one. Why? GOST is an interstate standard, and TU (technical conditions) is made by the organization itself. TU can be either stricter than GOST or, conversely, softer. Nothing prevents with the help of making your life easier and cheaper production due to low-quality ingredients.

Review of the best milk chocolate makers for 2020

Choosing another sweetness, we hope to buy a quality product, and not sweet plasticine.

So that next time in the store there is no blind choice, we have compiled a rating of the best brands. It includes the most popular and reliable confectionery brands with a long-term reputation, confirmed as expert reviews, there and numerous customer reviews from around the world. We examined two products from each company: milk chocolate without additives and with additives.

Ritter sport

“Square. Practical. Good "

Indeed, small but full-bodied products of the German company have been in demand all over the world for more than 100 years.

Ritter Sport "Alpine milk" milk

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Ritter Sport mini Bright collection

Assorted 9 bright, memorable dark and milk chocolates with various additives:

• crispy biscuits;
• yogurt;
• hazelnut;
• marzipan;
• praline;

It will help you get acquainted with the assortment of the company.Such small candies are a great solution for children, because sometimes it is so difficult for them to stop. Also, a mini chocolate bar will not take a place even in the smallest women's purse, it will cheer up at work or school.

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Alpen gold

Alpen Gold was specially created by the American company Stollwerck AG for the production and sale of confectionery products in the CIS countries. Now purchased by the American Mondelēz International.

Alpen Gold milk

Perfect chocolate without unnecessary problems. Soft, balanced taste, pleasant aroma.

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Alpen Gold milk with peanuts and cornflakes

A couple of slices of this high-calorie, nutritious sweetness will not only replenish your strength during the day, but also bring a good mood.

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Merci

Existing in 1965, world famous German brand - a manufacturer of various confectionery products.

Merci milk portion

The carton contains four delicate, delicate chocolate bars, each of which will give you a few minutes of exquisite delight.

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Merci milk and white portioned coffee and cream

The combination of two types of chocolate, coffee and cream, verified by German confectioners, is characterized by a rich, unforgettable taste and a pungent aroma. It melts in the mouth, leaving a pleasant aftertaste.

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Toblerone

The Swiss brand is a manufacturer of luxury chocolate. The products are so popular that 9 out of 10 tiles are exported.

Toblerone milk

A natural, high quality product from a cult Swiss manufacturer. The delicacy contains only natural ingredients, no flavors or preservatives.

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Milk toblerone with honey and almond nougat

Softer and softer than the classic version. Tart, sophisticated, spicy. For true connoisseurs of chocolate.

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Red October

The largest, oldest, most famous Russian manufacturer of confectionery products. Founded in 1849.

Alyonka milk

The famous tile, familiar from childhood, with a cute little girl has delighted more than one generation of kids. Classic taste, no frills or claims to originality.

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Alyonka "Crunchy tale" dairy with popcorn and explosive caramel

Alyonka keeps up with the times! Original additives - popcorn and explosive caramel - will delight not only fans and admirers of classic tiles, but will also please even those who have not paid attention to it before.

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The victory of taste

Russian chain of confectionery factories, founded in 1999.

Victory of taste Classic milk

Refined, soft, enveloping taste. The treat will help get rid of stress at the end of the day, recharge with energy during a work break.

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Victory of taste dairy with nuts and raisins

Chocolate with hazelnuts and raisins will cheer you up at the beginning of a difficult day. Cheer up and cheer up before the exam.

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Russia is a generous soul!

Soviet and then Russian chocolate factory. At the moment it belongs to the Swiss company Nestle.

Russia is a generous soul! Very milky

Russian-made milk chocolate with a light, pleasant taste.

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Russia is a generous soul! milk and white stuffed with coconut and waffle

The original combination of two types of chocolate, coconut flakes and waffle chips will not leave indifferent any sweet tooth.

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How to make homemade chocolate

Chocolate is now sold in almost every grocery store. But still, some of us, especially creative natures, may have a desire to cook a sweet dish with our own hands. And there are many reasons for this.

• Quality control of materials... Of course, when cooking for yourself, you will only use the best products.
• Pleasant pastime. You can cook chocolate yourself, with a friend, children, loved ones.
• This is not a routine cooking. Pleasant aroma, constant tasting - all this will turn the process into a real holiday.

You will need:

• cocoa powder - 100 g;
• butter - 50 g;
• cream - 2 tablespoons;
• sugar - 1 teaspoon;
• vanillin - 0.25 teaspoon.

Action plan:

• Melt the butter in a water bath.

Make sure that no water gets into the oil-filled saucepan. It will ruin the chocolate

• Slowly mix the liquid oil with the rest of the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Remember to stir the chocolate mass. This will give you an even consistency.

• Boil the mixture for 3-4 minutes and then remove from heat.
• Now pour the product into molds and then leave to cool in a cool place for a few hours.

Experiment! Make summer, tropical chocolate - add pieces of fruit jelly to candied fruit molds. Or winter, New Year's, with pieces of cranberries, gingerbread cookies and cinnamon.

You can also decorate homemade cakes with handcrafted chocolate. Your cakes will become even more attractive and delicious. Stock up on interesting silicone molds, create real culinary masterpieces.

Where and how best to store chocolate sweets?

In a clean, well-ventilated, cool place, Recommended temperature: 5 ºC - 22 ºC. The relative humidity should not exceed 70%.

Storing a treat at a lower temperature, such as in a freezer, will freeze the moisture and crystallize the sugar. In addition, long periods of "residence" of chocolate in the refrigerator can affect its smell. The tile can absorb the harsh aromas of other foods.

On the contrary, at high temperatures the cocoa butter included in the product melts easily, quickly losing all useful properties.

Avoid direct sunlight on the sweet.

Conclusion

We hope that our recommendations and advice will help you purchase quality chocolate for yourself or for a gift. We will be glad if you got to know a new company today or discovered an old one from an unexpected side.

Which milk chocolate do you like?